Introducing Click To Call With Cloud9

Introducing Click To Call With Cloud9

by | Aug 9, 2016 | Product Updates

Cloud9 is excited to introduce Click to Call, a feature that will enable users to “dial” out from their C9 Trader platform.  With this feature, users simply click to connect instantly with counterparties on their desk phone or cell phone.

With Cloud9’s upcoming Click to Call feature, users will be able to directly call any phone without leaving their C9 Trader. Click to Call will also integrate with all major voice platforms, including Cisco’s Unifed Call Manager.

Click to Call Interface

the feature will display in a separate window from the C9 Trader and will support a number of features, including:

Calling and Call Tools

Users can dial any phone number with the built-in dial pad, instantly connecting them with their counterparty. Click to Call will support basic calling in addition to traditional call functionalities like call hold, transfer, and release.

The feature will also support incoming calls, which will appear at the bottom of the User Interface.

Directory

Click to Call enables users to create a directory of contacts, which can also be synced with all Outlook contacts that include phone numbers. To initiate an outgoing call, users will simply click on a contact name in the directory.

The directory also contains a smart search box where users can find directory contacts by number and name, as well as access call history.

Extensions 

Through Cloud9’s integration capabilities with Cisco Unified Call Manager, Click to Call will support calling for to up to 8 shared extensions. If you deal with a trading desk or other group that shares an extension with multiple users, this feature will be supported.

The Click to Call feature represents a key step in Cloud9’s commitment to provide communications solutions that are a practical alternative to traditional telephony equipment.

Eclipse International Tosses Turrets with the Cloud9 Gateway

Eclipse International Tosses Turrets with the Cloud9 Gateway

by | Jun 30, 2016 | Product Updates

Eclipse International is an OTC brokerage that services all energy products, including heating oil, gas oil, natural gas, WTI crude oil, and more. They work with oil companies and refineries as well as banks and hedge funds, building relationships with over 75 market makers. Eclipse immediately recognized the benefit that Cloud9 could bring to their communications and became one of the original adopters of our platform.

“By far the biggest advantage to using Cloud9 is the fact that it is plug-and-play from anywhere,” said Jesse DiPlacido, Senior OTC Broker at Eclipse.

The fact that we can be out of the office and still be able to talk to all of our counterparties is huge for us.

As much as Eclipse enjoyed their experience with Cloud9, some of their counterparties were still using turrets, meaning that Eclipse employees still needed to keep a bulky turret on their desk to connect to these customers.

Eclipse needed a solution that would help their brokers toss their turrets, but still stay connected with their valuable counterparties, even if they are not yet using Cloud9.  The Cloud9 Gateway service enabled them to stay connected to their counterparties via direct lines even if they weren’t yet on Cloud9.

What is the Gateway?

The Cloud9 Gateway service provides system interoperability between existing trader voice circuits and the Cloud9 com­munity by converting traditional telephony lines to WebRTC protocol.  With Gateway Cloud9 users can seamlessly connect with trading firms not yet established on the Cloud9 platform,  and maintain their functionality for both shout-downs and ring downs.

Benefits of the Gateway for Eclipse

The Cloud9 team was able to transfer all of Eclipse’s private lines in less than a day, enabling them to fully transition away from turrets, lowering their telecom costs, and giving them greater mobility.

“We were shocked at how easy the process was,” said DiPlacido. “The Cloud9 team explained everything to us every step of the way – we never felt nervous. It was up and working perfectly in less than a day. I didn’t worry about it then, and I never worry about it working now.”

Not only did installing the Gateway give the Eclipse brokers more room on their desks, it also helped them to be more connected to some of their biggest clients.

Due to the high cost of establishing telephony lines, Eclipse previously had only a limited number of speaker boxes to communicate with larger banks.  Gateway enabled everyone on the team to have a version of the C9 trader on their desktops, so they never miss crucial market information.  This will be especially important as Eclipse plans to expand their business and open a second location in Florida.

“We love using Cloud9, and the Gateway allows us to use it exclusively to connect with our most important clients,” said DiPlacido. “As much as we appreciate the Gateway, we can’t wait for the day when we don’t use it – because that means all of our counterparties are on Cloud9!”

Click here to learn more about the Gateway service.

New Updates to the C9 Trader

by | Jun 28, 2016 | Product Updates

Cloud9 2.0 is here! The newest version of the C9 Trader platform features a sleek UI, a more intuitive Settings menu, and updated features that work with the way you trade.

Watch an overview of the new features and check out some of the highlights below!

New Look and Feel

Clean lines and easier navigation are the highlights of the new UI update. You can now access the Home screen from anywhere in the application, and, when selected, the Settings menu now appears on the right side of your window.  Volume adjustment has also been simplified, and you can now use a slider located on the right side of each button to set your volume levels.  A volume indicator level is now displayed on the device that is in use – ensuring that your microphone and/or handset are properly working.

Settings Tab

We’ve streamlined the Settings tab which includes a single menu where you can set preferences for your Audio Devices, establish Group buttons, set up a Button Board, and send a quick email directly to our Technical Support team.

New Group Call Functionality

When shouting down to a group of assigned counterparties, you can now disconnect from a specific counterparty by clicking on the button assigned to that counterparty. This will disconnect that line without disconnecting all the counterparties associated with the group.

This function is important in a scenario where you are shouting out to a group of individuals and would like to drop a participant from the activity in progress.

Introducing Enhanced Encryption and Cloud9 Playback Features

by | May 2, 2016 | Product Updates

Financial services firms deal with incredibly sensitive data, so security is often the top priority when assessing new technologies. As a communications platform for the financial industry, it is crucial for Cloud9 to maintain a secure and compliant service that allows firms to conduct business effectively.

The latest update to the C9 Trader application builds upon our robust security framework and gives firms a heightened level of security and control over their call recordings.

Cloud9 already offers multiple levels of encryption – at very basic level the voice recordings are secure in transit in HTTPS tunnel. They are then encrypted on the AWS (Amazon Web Services) server where they are stored. In addition, the voice recordings can also be encrypted using Cloud9 KMS (Key Management System). This will encrypt the actual voice recordings as they are created at the client side and made available for the client to download.

We now also support encryption of the actual voice recordings using your organization’s HSM (Hardware Security Module). This allows firms to maintain their individual encryption key management system. Call records will still be available on a the Cloud9 administrative portal for viewing, but the Cloud9 Playback tool will be required to listen to encrypted recordings. The Cloud9 Playback will replace the Cloud9 Call Analyzer utility and will enable you to download and playback your recordings under the new security protocols.

These new security capabilities were put in place to enhance compliance measures, and provide a greater degree of security for call recordings. Under the new system unauthorized users, including Cloud9, will not be able to play back these encrypted voice recordings unless they have been given direct permission by the firm’s system administrators.

To implement these new security features contact Cloud9: support@c9tec.com.

To learn more about the Cloud9 Trader App, watch this video.

Cloud9 Introduces Gateway Service to Promote Interoperability With Turrets

by | May 2, 2016 | News, Product Updates

Cloud9 is now introducing Gateway: a service enabling traders to toss their turrets but still stay connected with counterparties, even if they are not yet using Cloud9.

The Cloud9 Gateway service provides system interoperability between existing trader voice circuits and the Cloud9 com­munity by converting traditional TDM T1/E1 to WebRTC protocol.  Cloud9 users can seamlessly connect with trading firms not yet established on Cloud9’s service and maintain their functionality for both shout-downs and ring downs.

The Gateway Service supports two deployment models: hosted or on-premises. Both configurations offer various features and benefits, although Cloud9 recommends reviewing your technical and support needs to determine which option is best for your firm.

Advantages of the Cloud9 Gateway service include:

  • Ability to expand your trading network and connect to counterparties on and off Cloud9.
  • Rapid migration from trading turrets onto the Cloud9 service
  • Improved disaster recovery capabilities by giving firms the ability to maintain connectivity during disaster scenarios.

Hosted Service

The hosted gateway option allows Cloud9 users to access traditional trader voice circuits by connecting their circuits to Cloud9 at a hosted facility. Pricing for this service is on a per month basis.

Benefits of a Hosted Service Include:

  • Best support model for firms looking to relocate offices while transitioning to Cloud9.
  • Circuits can be accessed by Cloud9 users within the firm from any location once they are connected to carriers.
  • Ease of management by deploying inside a controlled data center environment vs on-premise.
  • Loss of Internet or catastrophic event has no effect on operations due to redundancy within an off-site facility.
  • Upgrades, patches and new features are included.

On-Premise Service

The on-premise service option is for customers that prefer not to move their existing trader voice circuits to a hosted data center. It also requires that a suitable IT environment be established for installing the Cloud9 gateway. This service option also gives customers a choice to purchase the service through monthly recurring fees, or as a single one-time charge.

Benefits for The On-Premise Service Include:

  • No requirement to coordinate circuit relocation with telecom carriers – lines can be managed on site.
  • Available for Cloud9 customers regardless of location.
  • Upgrades, patches and new features are included.

 

Introduction to the Cloud9 Trader

by | Dec 4, 2015 | News, Product Updates

From the Cloud9 Trader application, users can easily and securely set up connections, instantly communicate with counterparties, connect with the Cloud9 global community, and access their network on any device.

Watch the video above for a full overview of Cloud9, and transform the way you trade.